Ahead of 2019 general elections, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and a two term former Governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has obtained Expression of Interest and Nomination form as Presidential aspirants. Director General of the Saraki Presidential Campaign Organization, Hon. Mohammed Wakil, obtained the form around noon at the national headquarters of the party on his behalf. The DG disclosed to journalists that, “Senate President was away in Port Harcourt as he continues consultation to realise his presidential ambition was represented. Meanwhile, the former governor of Kano state, Kwankwaso while briefing journalist said that “a consensus candidate would have been the best in an ideal situation. He also stressed that “he wasn’t aware that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has dissolved the Kano state executive of the party. He said some of the things that made him have edge over other aspirants is that aside hailing from the North-West part of the country which has the highest number of votes, there is no family in the whole of northern Nigeria without a Kwankwasiya member. “Nigerians also want him to replicate the kind of infrastructural development he achieved while he was the governor of Kano state in the country as a whole, he added
Atiku weeps for Nigeria
By Abdulrahman Zakariyau Abuja Former Vice President and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, yesterday wept over the sorry state of the nation, saying leadership has eluded this country for too long. Atiku, who spoke when his supporters presented him the presidential Expression of Interest and nomination forms, also charged his supporters to bring Abuja to a standstill so that the party would have no alternative than to give him the ticket. He said: “It is almost three decades of my political career this year. But, today has also turned out to be one of the most emotional days in those three decades of my political career. He also lamented that: “I have tried to present myself as a candidate for the office of the President in a number of elections. The only time I succeeded of being on the ballot was in 2007. “In 2007, I was on the ballot not because I believe I was going to win, but because I wanted to prove a constitutional issue so that all Nigerians can avail themselves with the constitutional protection and I succeeded at the Supreme Court and that is why today, no Nigerian can be stopped from contesting an election unless he has been convicted by a court of law”. The former vice president noted that: “The event today is significant and historic because this is the only time in my political career that young men and women in this country have come together without my knowledge or even consent to contribute their own hard earned money to buy me a nomination form and expression of interest form. “You could have seen one of the lady who spoke, virtually succeeded in getting me to weep. This is because she aptly described the challenges every Nigerian is facing in this country today and she believed honestly and sincerely from the bottom of her heart that I could be an instrument of add
APC recants, adopts direct primary at all levels
By Bode Olagoke Abuja Less than 24 hours after All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted direct primary for presidential primary and indirect for others, the party has recounted, saying direct primary will now take place at all levels. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi and his Plateau counterpart, Simon Lalong had told newsmen on Wednesday after the party’s NEC meeting that the ruling party had adopted both direct and indirect primaries. But, briefing newsmen yesterday at the party national secretariat, the APC Acting Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said “primary elections into all elective offices shall be by direct primaries”. According to Nabena, “NEC resolved to adopt direct primaries for the nomination of the presidential candidate and all other primaries. “The Party’s constitution though provides for indirect election and consensus, however, the use of Indirect primaries is conditional and dependent on logistic impediments; peculiarities and need of a given state that makes it unable to use direct primaries. “The State Executive Committee (SEC) shall in consultation with aspirants and other critical stakeholders of the party in a given state forward for the consideration and approval by the National Working Committee (NWC), if an indirect primary is to be adopted. The adopted mode shall now be applied to all categories of the Party’s Primary Elections, either State Assembly, Senate, House of Representatives and for the Governorship Elections. “The request for Indirect Primaries must be signed by majority of the State Executive Committee and critical stakeholders in attendance at the meeting where such resolution is reached”, he said.
